1 Early career
2 San Diego State University
3 St. Louis Cardinals
4 San Diego Chargers
5 Hall of Fame consideration
6 Coaching personality
7 Death
8 Head coaching record

8.1 College
8.2 Professional

9 See also
10 References
11 External links

Early career[edit]
Don CoryellDon Coryell enlisted in the
United States ArmyUnited States Army in 1943 and spent 3½
years as a paratrooper.[3] He played defensive back for the University
of Washington from 1949 to 1951. He earned his bachelor's and master's
degrees at the University of Washington.[4] He was a high school coach
in Hawaii where his teams ran a version of the
I formationI formation running
game.[5] He would also coach at the University of British Columbia
(where he compiled a 2 win, 16 loss record),[6] Wenatchee Valley
College, and a military team at Fort Ord.[3] As head coach at Whittier
College from 1957 to 1959, Whittier won conference championships in
each of Coryell's three years.[7] He would also rely on the I
formation at Whittier.[3][5] In 1960, he was an assistant coach under
John McKay for the USC Trojans, where the
I formationI formation would be its
signature offense for decades.[5] While the origin of the I formation
is unclear, Coryell was one of its pioneers.[3]
San Diego State University[edit]
Coryell coached 12 seasons with the
San Diego State UniversitySan Diego State University Aztecs,
using the philosophy of recruiting only junior college players. There,
he compiled a record of 104 wins, 19 losses and 2 ties including three
undefeated seasons in 1966, 1968 and 1969. His teams enjoyed winning
streaks of 31 and 25 games, and won three bowl games during his
tenure.[8] Coryell helped lead SDSU from an
NCAA Division IINCAA Division II to an
NCAA Division INCAA Division I program in 1969.[8]
It was at SDSU that Coryell began to emphasize a passing offense.
Coryell recounted, "We could only recruit a limited number of runners
and linemen against schools like USC and UCLA. And there were a lot of
kids in Southern California passing and catching the ball. There
seemed to be a deeper supply of quarterbacks and receivers. And the
passing game was also open to some new ideas.[5]" Coryell adds,
"Finally we decided it's crazy that we can win games by throwing the
ball without the best personnel. So we threw the hell out of the ball
and won some games. When we started doing that, we were like
55–5–1.[9]"
John MaddenJohn Madden served as Coryell's defensive assistant at SDSU. Madden
had first met Coryell attending a coaching clinic on the I formation
led by McKay.[9] "We'd go to these clinics, and afterward, everyone
would run up to talk to McKay", said Madden. "Coryell was there
because he introduced (McKay). I was thinking, 'If (McKay) learned
from him, I'll go talk to (Coryell).' [9]"
At San Diego State, Coryell helped develop a number of quarterbacks
for the NFL, including Don Horn, Jesse Freitas,
Dennis Shaw and future
NFL MVP Brian Sipe. Wide receivers who went on to the NFL include
Isaac Curtis, Gary Garrison, and Haven Moses.[10] Coryell also coached
two players who later became actors:
Fred Dryer and Carl Weathers.
St. Louis Cardinals[edit]
The Cardinals under Coryell had three consecutive seasons
(1974–1976) with double-digit victories and won two consecutive
division titles (1974–1975). Those were the only division titles the
Cardinals ever won while in St. Louis. Prior to 1974, the Cardinals
had not been in the playoffs in 26 years since 1948 when they were the
Chicago Cardinals. In 1975, the "Cardiac Cardinals" won seven times in
the game's last minute.[11] Multi-purpose back
Terry Metcalf set an
NFL all-purpose yards record at the time in 1975. When St. Louis did
not re-sign Metcalf and he left for the
Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football League after
1977, Coryell departed also.[11]
Dan Dierdorf developed into an
All-Pro offensive lineman under Coryell
and would later be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Cornerback
Roger WehrliRoger Wehrli and tight end
Jackie Smith were already
established All-Pros prior to Coryell's tenure at St. Louis, and they
are also members of the Hall of Fame.
The 1974 Cardinals started the season 7–0. They would not start a
season as well as 4–0 until 2012, the franchise's 25th in Arizona.
San Diego Chargers[edit]
Coryell was hired as the San Diego Chargers' head coach on September
25, 1978, the same day as the infamous
PSA Flight 182PSA Flight 182 crash in San
Diego.[12] When
Don CoryellDon Coryell began coaching the team, the Chargers had
a win-loss record of 1–4 for that season. The team broke their
losing streak with eight additional wins and three losses that season
after Coryell became head coach.[13] The Chargers 9–7 record was
their first winning season since 1969.[14]
He won three straight division titles (1979, 1980, 1981) with the
Chargers, reaching the playoffs four consecutive times. Previously,
the Chargers had not been to the playoffs since 1965. With Dan Fouts
as quarterback, San Diego's "Air Coryell" was among the greatest
passing offenses in NFL history. The Chargers led the league in
passing yards an NFL record 6 consecutive years from 1978 to 1983 [15]
and again in 1985. They also led the league in total yards in offense
1980–1983 and 1985. The
Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of Fame called Coryell's
offenses "one of the most explosive and exciting offenses that ever
set foot on an NFL field."[16] Fouts, wide receiver Charlie Joiner,
and tight end
Kellen WinslowKellen Winslow would all be inducted into the Pro
Football Hall of Fame from those Charger teams.
The Chargers in 1979 were the first AFC Western Division champion to
run more passing plays (541) than rushing (481).[17] That season,
Fouts was only the 2nd player to pass for 4,000 yards in a
season—throwing an NFL record 4,082—before extending his own
record for total passing yards in a season in 1980 and again in 1981.
In a nine-game strike-shortened 1982 season, Fouts averaged 320 yards
passing per game, an NFL record that stood until
Drew BreesDrew Brees averaged
342 in 2011.[18][19] With Winslow, Coryell redefined the tight end
position into a deep, pass-catching threat too fast for a linebacker
and too big for a defensive back. Coryell was astute to realize that
"If we're asking Kellen to block a defensive end and not catch passes,
I'm not a very good coach." [20]
In San Diego, Coryell groomed another set of all-purpose backs in
James Brooks and later Lionel James, a mere 5′6″ and 171 pound
running back, who broke Metcalf's record in 1985 while also setting a
record of 1,027 receiving yards by a running back.[21] A rookie in
1978,
John Jefferson went on to become the first receiver in league
history to gain 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons while
also grabbing 36 touchdowns. Traded away from the Chargers by
ownership because of a contract dispute,[22] Jefferson never reached
1,000 yards again in his career.
Wes Chandler was acquired to replace
Jefferson. In the 1982 strike year, Chandler, set the record of 129
yards receiving per game that is still an NFL record.[23]
Detractors of Coryell point to the Chargers' defensive shortcomings
given that his defenses were in the bottom ten league-wide from 1981
to 1986.[24] However, in 1979, the Chargers allowed the fewest points
(246) in the AFC. In 1980 their defense led the NFL with 60 sacks
spearheaded by a frontline of All-Pros in Fred Dean, Gary "Big Hands"
Johnson, and Louie Kelcher. The group was locally nicknamed the
"Bruise Brothers".[25][26] However, in 1981, Dean, like Jefferson, was
traded away due to a contract dispute with ownership.[27] Dean
contends he was making the same amount of money as his brother-in-law
who was a truck driver.[28] The Chargers' defense would never be the
same afterwards as it surrendered the most passing yards in the NFL in
both 1981[29] and 1982.[30] Meanwhile, Dean would go on in the same
year to win UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year (while playing in
only 11 games) and help lead the
San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl
that year and again in 1984. Dean was inducted to the Pro Football
Hall of Fame in 2008.
"I can't say how much it affected us, because we did make it to the
AFC championship game", said Johnson of the loss of Dean. "But I could
say if we had more pass rush from the corner, it might've been
different."[31]
U-T San DiegoU-T San Diego in 2013 called the trade "perhaps the
biggest blunder in [Chargers'] franchise history."[32]
Tom Bass, who was a defensive coordinator for Coryell with both SDSU
and the Chargers, said Coryell focused on offense during practice. He
left the coaching of defensive players and the defensive game plan to
Bass."In planning and designing defense, he simply had no interest",
said Bass.[33]
Hall of Fame consideration[edit]
Coryell led the Cardinals and Chargers to five division titles, and
the Chargers led the league in passing in seven of eight years.[34]
However, his failure to lead his teams to a Super Bowl has presumably
kept him out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[35] Voters have cited
his 3–6 postseason record as further evidence.[36] His teams'
defenses were not as strong as its offenses, which could be attributed
to the offensive unit scoring quickly and not providing the defensive
side sufficient rest.[37] Tony Dungy, a Super Bowl head coach, says
that "If you talk about impact on the game, training other coaches --
John Madden, Bill Walsh,
Joe GibbsJoe Gibbs to name a few -- and influencing
how things are done,
Don CoryellDon Coryell is probably right up there with Paul
Brown. He was a genius."[35]
Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated writer Jim Trotter,
who votes on the
Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors, said
selectors are hesitant to vote for coaches when there is a backlog of
deserving players.[38]
Coryell's direct development of future coaches included Super Bowl
head coaches Madden and Gibbs, Super Bowl offensive coordinators Ernie
Zampese and Al Saunders, as well as
Jim HanifanJim Hanifan and Rod Dowhower.
Adding to the Coryell coaching tree, Super Bowl offensive coordinator
Norv TurnerNorv Turner tutored under Zampese, and another Super Bowl offensive
coordinator
Mike Martz studied under both Zampese and later
Turner.[39]
Dan Henning coached under Gibbs.
Fouts says, "He influenced offensive and defensive football because if
you are going to have three or four receivers out there, you better
have an answer for it on the other side of the ball. If it wasn't for
Don, I wouldn't be in the Hall of Fame."[40] "Whoever heard of the
nickel or dime pass defense before 'Air Coryell' forced opponents to
come up with strategies to combat Coryell's aerial assault?" wrote
Fouts to Hall of Fame voters in support of Coryell's induction.[41]
In Madden's Hall of Fame induction speech, he mentioned his time at
San Diego State "with a great coach that someday will be in here, Don
Coryell. He had a real influence on my coaching.
Joe GibbsJoe Gibbs was on that
staff, too."[42]
Gibbs also lobbied for Coryell's induction into the Hall of Fame,
stating "(Coryell) was extremely creative and fostered things that are
still in today's game because he was so creative. I think he's
affected a lot of coaches, and I'd like to see him get in."[43]
Mike Martz, who won a Super Bowl as the offensive coordinator of the
"Greatest Show on Turf" with the
St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams and advanced to
another Super Bowl as the Rams' head coach: "Don is the father of the
modern passing game. People talk about the 'West Coast' offense, but
Don started the 'West Coast' decades ago and kept updating it. You
look around the NFL now, and so many teams are running a version of
the Coryell offense. Coaches have added their own touches, but it's
still Coryell's offense. He has disciples all over the league. He
changed the game", adds Martz.[40] "I'm not sure why that hasn't been
acknowledged by the Hall of Fame."[4]
Winslow points out that Coryell had an indirect hand in the 49ers',
Washington Redskins' and St. Louis Rams' Super Bowl teams. "They call
it the West Coast offense because San Francisco won Super Bowls with
it, but it was a variation of what we did in San Diego. Joe Gibbs'
itty-bitty receivers on the outside and two tight ends in the middle,
(that's) a variation of Coryell's offense in San Diego. It's just a
personnel change, but it's the same thing. When the Rams won their
Super Bowl, it was the same offense, same terminology. For Don Coryell
to not be in the Hall of Fame is a lack of knowledge of the voters.
That's the nicest way that I can put that. A lack of understanding of
the legacy of the game."[44]

"In the offense we won the Super Bowl with in 1999, the foundation was
Don Coryell", former Rams coach
Dick VermeilDick Vermeil said. "The route
philosophies, the vertical passing game ... everything stemmed from
the founder, Don Coryell. The genius."[45]
In 2010, Coryell for the first time was among the 15 finalists
considered by the Hall of Fame selection committee on the Saturday
before the Super Bowl. He was not selected.[46] After Coryell's
passing later that year, Chargers President Dean Spanos said "He
revolutionized the game of football, not only in San Diego, but
throughout the entire NFL.
Don CoryellDon Coryell was a legend not only with the
Chargers but throughout San Diego. Though unfortunately he did not
live long enough to see it, hopefully one day his bust will find its
proper place in Pro Football's Hall of Fame."[5] Delivering a eulogy
at Coryell's funeral, Madden noted, "You know, I'm sitting down there
in front, and next to me is Joe Gibbs, and next to him is Dan Fouts,
and the three of us are in the Hall of Fame because of Don Coryell."
Choking up and then pausing, he continued, "There's something
missing."[47] Coryell was a finalist again in 2015.[48]
Coaching personality[edit]
Coryell was adored by his players. "The most important thing to me
about
Don CoryellDon Coryell is him as a person. He actually cared about us as
players. A lot of coaches don't even know who you are", said
Fouts.[49] Coryell did not want to intimidate his players and instead
treated his players with respect, allowing them to showcase their
strengths. "I don't think a coach has to be a son of a bitch to be
successful. I think you can treat men like men", he said.[50]
Death[edit]
Don CoryellDon Coryell died on July 1, 2010 at
Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La
Mesa, California. The cause of death was not officially released, but
Coryell had been in poor health for some time.[20]
Head coaching record[edit]
College[edit]